Monthly Archives: February 2017

Des Moines interior decorating projects can be expensive if you don’t plan ahead. Budgets on Des Moines interior decorating can get out of hand if you are not careful and stick to a set budget. There may even be people who don’t think they can afford a Des Moines interior decorating project for their home. But there are several affordable ways to add dcor to your home on a budget. Des Moines interior decorating shopping can be very budget friendly if done smart.

The best places to start shopping for your Des Moines interior decorating project is at garage sales. Since it’s officially summer this means garage sales will be in full force. Check the newspaper or Craigslist for announcements on garage sales and spend a Saturday checking out a few. Garage sales are the perfect starting points for your Des Moines interior decorating projects because you can usually find big ticket items like furniture for a fraction of the cost. And don’t forget estate sales while you’re making your rounds. You never know what these types of outings will uncover for your home.

Another place to shop to look for items for your Des Moines interior decorating projects is thrift stores. Thrifting has become trendy so it is more difficult to find deals as good as you might of 5-10 years ago but thrift stores still yield potential gold for budget-minded Des Moines interior decorating projects. When you go to thrift stores have patience. You may not find exactly what you’re looking for so make several trips to different thrift stores. The inventory is always changing and if you practice patience the results will be worth it. Antique shops many help you in the same way a thrift store would although their prices can be a bit higher. Still if you’re looking for a vintage item for your Des Moines interior decorating antique shops are the best places to find them.

TJ Maxx is a place that many people go to find affordable clothes but you can also get great deals on home dcor there as well. If your Des Moines interior decorating project calls for new pillows, lamps, dishes or dcor for your bathroom and bedroom TJ Maxx is the best place to look for affordable options.

Treasured Spaces is the leading Des Moines interior decorating experts. Our experience in Des Moines interior decorating covers everything from consulting to personal shopping. If you’re struggling to find the time for your Des Moines interior decorating projects, or just need some assistance, we are here to help. Treasured Spaces is here whenever you need us. For examples of our Des Moines interior decorating work and to get free ideas follow our Pinterest boards.

The modern trends of fireplaces have evolved but decorating homes are still based on the balance of the elements to successfully harmonize any living space. in feng shui, balancing of the five elements fire, water, wood, earth and metal, are important when you are remodeling or decorating your home. . If you are buying a stove for sale, obviously you are adding an element of fire into your home. Any space with a gas fireplace will certainly exude a fiery element that emits heat embracing an ambiance and the people within it with warmth and console. This is ideal to heighten an intimacy of couples that want to restore a broken relationship.

When you search for a stove for sale or any other gas fireplace, you should consider the space and your existing furniture at home that will sit next to it. According to the feng shui masters, the south wall of your home is the best place to locate a gas fireplace. You may also locate a gas fireplace to any other areas of the house but be certain not to place them on the Northwest or the middle left part of your home. This area represents family and health. Placing the fire in this area can risk your health and relationships. Clean the space where you want to locate the fireplace; this way you do not get in the way for the heat energy to flow around the house, hence, you are not obstructing the Chi.

If you are placing your gas fireplace at the center of your home, be certain to balance it with other elements such as water. Finding a stove for sale can also weaken your health if you place it on the center of your home since it also represents the center of your body. Being exhausted with too much heat can ultimately weaken the body. Try incorporating water, wood, earth and metal elements. It does not literary tells you place a swimming pool next to gas fireplace for a water element. A small fountain or an aquarium will do but you can also use paintings or photographs with rivers, falls and the like. Other water element includes black furniture and mirrors. Placing a mirror next or near your gas fireplace is good to harmoniously balance and prevents the depletion of energy around the house. If it is a wood element, photographs or paintings of trees can help or if you can add real plants to show something that is alive and growing. Adding a television near the gas fireplace may not be a good idea. But if you and the rest of the family are fond of watching either shows on TV or DVDs, be certain to keep it hidden after use. You may use a cabinet to seal them or a projector screen that you can roll over when youre done watching.

No matter how expensive or cheap a stove for sale can be, proper placement should always be considered. Ask a feng shui expert to help you deal with the movement of the Chi. At the end of the day whats more important is your health and your familys happiness beyond all the beautiful decors and furniture around the house.

When it pertains to initiatives on climate change and control of emissions, the European Union is one of the most proactive governmental blocks as they go on with setting standards for energy efficiency. Recently, the EU issued new rules that will help ensure energy efficiency by requiring all industrial, commercial, and household machines and appliances to have labels displayed. As part of the major roster change, this is to ensure that energy efficiency will be a top priority to help commercial agenda move forward.

The rules on energy efficiency issued by the European Parliament insist that all building that are new and constructed after 2020 should have to be powered by renewable energy sources. Buildings account for a significant proportion of greenhouse gases emitted and it has long been recognized that stringent action should be taken to apply energy efficiency rules for new building stock.

The EU has been one of the most proactive governmental blocks pertaining to the war against climate change and in controlling emissions, continuously setting high standards of energy efficiency. They have recently issued new energy efficiency rules that expand the need to display labels on industrial, commercial and household appliances and machines. This is part of a sweeping roster change, aimed at ensuring that energy efficiency is at the top of the commercial agenda going forward.

Since buildings have a lifespan of approximately 50 years, the environmental impact should not be underestimated. Renovation and retrofitting can only go so far and new emphasis is being placed on sustainable efforts during the process of construction, as well as during the design phase. The European Union’s energy efficiency rules dictate that all buildings made after 2020 will conform to this philosophy.

The European Parliament is convinced that education is paramount when it comes to achieving high energy efficiency standards and as such, labels must now be attached to energy consuming products for industrial or commercial use across the Union. Windows and framework must also be appropriately labeled, so that users can see how much energy they are responsible for and can choose wisely, in advance.

If consumers, individuals or corporations are in possession of all the right information, they can choose to include appliances that work well according to their sustainability objectives. Each appliance or asset must perform with ultimate energy efficiency in the “carbon era” of tomorrow, or the user will be responsible for additional fees in one way or another.

The concept of carbon taxation or “cap and trade” restrictions is not new in the European Union, as their Energy Efficiency Scheme has been in place since 2005. Such concepts are beginning to become clear in the United States, where the corresponding legislation is already being considered, which will most probably include a cap and trade and taxation options.

In order to provide detailed information pertaining to energy use and carbon emissions, procedures and systems need to be implemented at the boardroom level for each organization. Quite apart from greenhouse gas reduction, energy efficiency drives savings, which every organization should be focusing on these days.

Around the world, governments tend to agree that we must aim for as much as an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as based on 1990 levels, by the time we get to 2050. If not, considerable and detrimental change could be caused to climate and weather patterns. This level of change will, nevertheless, call for consistent and urgent action and implementation of new energy efficiency rules, everywhere.

How to get rid of wrinkles under eyes is a common question plaguing the minds of many middle aged people. Wrinkle formation underneath the eyes are induced because of many factors. They could be caused by harmful Ultra violet rays when the under eye area is left exposed to the harsh sunlight. They may be the result of excessive cigarette smoking or stress. Natural aging makes the skin thinner and the production of collagen which imparts suppleness to the skin layers gets diminished. Accumulation of elastin due to harmful sun rays can also be a cause for wrinkle formation.

If you want to know how to get rid of wrinkles under eyes, you will have to make some lifestyle improvements. It helps to use some topical anti-wrinkle skin care products as well. These skin lotions and gels are effective in getting rid of wrinkles and laugh lines too. These lines are caused due to repetitive movements of the mouth. Just the application of creams and lotions may not help unless you make some lifestyle modifications in addition to this.

A simple remedy is to apply eye creams which ensure that the wrinkles around the eyes, also known as crows feet, don’t develop. The area near the eyes tends to become dry in the absence of oil. The application of the eye cream imparts moisture to the skin, thus preventing wrinkling. The fact that the region around the eyelids is the most animated part, for all kinds of expression contributes to wrinkle formation. As you grow older, the suppleness of the skin is reduced owing to insufficient collagen skin protein thereby producing wrinkles underneath the eyes, which can be overcome with the application of the right cream.

One of the more effective treatments is to keep chilled green tea bags over the eyes, or applying eye mask, several times a week. But, you cannot substitute adequate relaxing sleep with any other thing because sound sleep is something very valuable for your general health. It is good to relax, have lots of sleep and drink lots of water, which can be good for maintaining your skin in a healthy condition. The body is also nourished by eating fruits and vegetables. Vitamin E is particularly important to avoid under eye wrinkles.

Should you be wondering how to get rid of wrinkles under eyes, here is a very good inexpensive treatment method; facial massage. You can even apply almond oil near the eyes at night before you hit the bed. Consuming a paste made from honey and minced ginger is an excellent remedy to overcome wrinkle formation. Similarly, applying fruit masks such as papaya facial mask or even cucumber juice is good for the skin. Even placing chilled cucumber slices over the eye area is a very good anti wrinkle treatment. Applying a mixture of castor oil and egg white could also help to avoid fine lines and wrinkles.

Vitamins and minerals, which are found in generous amounts in seafood, green vegetables and fruits, are extremely important for the body. Grape seed oil helps to lubricate the skin and forestall the occurrence of fine lines. Moisture makes the skin elastic and hence less prone to wrinkles.

There are three main types of carpet extractors. The first type of carpet extractor is the tank carpet extractor. This type of unit utilizes a large tank in a separate system. The second type of carpet extractor is the self-contained unit. The self-contained unit extractor is one unit that contains both a tank and one unit in one. The third type of carpet extractor is the carpet spotter, it is used for smaller areas and its solution and recovery capacities hold less water and can recover less liquid. The Marathon 800 and 1200 portable extractor’s by Tornado are self-contained units. These portable extractors are built from durable materials and are top of their class. Replacement Tornado parts are easy to find and inexpensive with most repair jobs taking less than two hours. The definition of the ultimate self-contained extractor would be one that is lightweight, has increased solution capacity, and agitation system, and good vacuum recovery, the Tornado Marathon carpet extractor series is all this and more.

The Tornado Marathon 800 extractor comes equipped with an 8 gallon solution and 10 gallon cover a tank. This is standard for a medium size self-contained extractor when compared to its competition. This piece of floor equipment utilizes a cylindrical brush system that agitates the floor with brush speeds up to 900 RPMs. The recovery system on this extractor consists of a 2 hp vacuum order that has more than enough power to recover nearly all solution from the carpet. For good penetration into the carpet fibers the Marathon 800 relies on a 100 psi pump to shoot the extraction liquid into the carpet.

The Tornado Marathon 1200 is modeled after the 800 but boasts a larger solution and recovery tank. The solution tank on the 1200 series has a 12 gallon capacity for clean water and 14 gallon capacity for dirty water. Both carpet extractor’s are easy to maintain and a joy to use.

Both the Marathon 800 and 1200 solution and recovery tanks can be easily accessed from the top of the unit. Each tank has its own separate lid that can be quickly removed to fill up or clean out the tanks. To perform maintenance on the unit, the lead simply unlatch his end for the back to give you easy access to the internal parts of the machine. Once the lid is tipped back all parts such as the vacuum motor and pump accessible. The user controls are friendly and well marked, each button is clearly labeled as to its intended purpose. To drain the machine a simple rubber hose is detached from the back of the unit so it can be dumped down a drain.

Many accessories are available for the Marathon series carpet extractor’s. Some of the available tools are a hand tool for small area cleanup, a crevice detailer tool for auto detailing, an upholstery tool is available for furniture and a large carpet wand is available for larger areas. Using this arsenal of tools you can accomplish any carpet cleaning task. OEM Tornado parts for this machine are easy to find and a relatively inexpensive.

Overall the Tornado Marathon series carpet extractor’s are a great value. The price range for these extractors ranges from $2000-$3000 and is well within market value with its comparable counterparts from other manufacturers. The only other manufacturers to carry comparable carpet extractor’s are NSS, Clarke, Windsor and Tennant.

There has been an overall slowdown in real estate industry and various industry players have been affected. Some factors responsible for this slowdown can be increase in interest rates, slowdown in IT industry, increase in property prices, and increase in interest rates loan rates because of which many property buyers have stepped out of market. But somehow this slowdown can bring happiness to those middle class buyers who have been eagerly waiting for the property prices to come down. In major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad real estate market has come down. Also because of increase in cost of raw materials like steel, iron and building material builders are facing difficulty of constructing property at agreed prices.

Real estate slow down in Bangalore

As realty business in Bangalore has been hit by global financial crisis because of this uncertain condition in Indian equity market and property prices builders have come in formidable situation .The condition is that approximately 400 flats or more are still vacant despite of advertisements .And the situation is same with may top builders of country. Many builders developers said they have faced a drop in new projects as compared to last year because of which condition has become worse in the market.

Real estate slow down in Hyderabad

Because of Realty business is facing a slow down developers have decided to launch special schemes to attract buyers like launching special incentive prices etc. Also prices which were at some time had gone up are now cooling off because of which there is low growth rate. There are many factors that have contributed to the present scenario and may small buyers have backed out from the scene because of high interest rate, increase in input cost and strict rules. Indias largest real estate company DLF which has built may commercial and residential projects has announced that they will make high end luxury apartments at affordable prices in Hyderabad after seeing IT and real estate slow down.

Real estate slow down in Delhi

Delhi/NCR has also been badly affected with this realty slow down .Some real estate developers or agents have shut down their business and switched to other business because of this slowdown as it was being difficult for them to survive in these conditions.

Real estate slow down in Mumbai

Mumbai Real estate is a very large market with many Top builders and developers under its belt. But there also Developers have to cut down their prices for new homes for sale as condition of market has still not improved yet. As Mumbai has a large market for supply of high-end apartments as compared to other cities still there is a fear that of oversupply as many buyers have backed out.

This may be the current situation of Realty business in major metropolitan cities but there was also a time when a handsome salary package of six figures meant a home in the heart of metropolitan city .But the property boom turned down this dream of many people .Now we can say that only rich people are finding a home for themselves in theses metropolitan cities. With trembling condition of sensex and liquidity scare in banking sector the real estate industry has to come up with ways for attracting buyers. But sources are saying that this is a temporary condition and real estate developers are hoping the conditions will improve soon

1 – That the origin of Bonsai, while often attributed to the Japanese, is actually Chinese in derivation? Many experts agree that bonsai, know as Pensai in China, was practiced by scholars, monks and the noble classes of China as far back as 600 A.D.

2 – That the word “Bonsai”, which is pronounced “Bone- Sigh”, is made up of the two Japanese characters: “Bon” meaning tray and “sai” meaning plant, which when literally translated means: tray plant? Of course, the cultivation of bonsai trees has advanced much since its humble start as plants in trays.

3 – That an earthquake is responsible for shifting the “epicenter” of bonsai cultivation in Japan? In 1923 an 8.3 magnitude earthquake devastated the entire Kanto region of Japan. Destroying vast portions of the two largest cities: Tokyo and Yokohama; along with a majority of the commercial bonsai businesses. As a result, the bonsai business community, in an effort to save their livelihoods, collectively purchased a tract of land outside of Tokyo, in the Omiya region, where their businesses once again flourished.

4 – That in 1976 the people of Japan, in honor of the USA Bicentennial Celebration, presented to America 53 priceless bonsai trees and 6 remarkable viewing stones? These gifts were to become the foundation of our national collection.

5 – That the bark of a tree has three very important and practical functions? It is waterproof, so it prevents leaking from the phloem; It also houses small structures, called lenticels, that allow the tree to breathe; and the bark’s third function is to protect the phloem from all kinds of impacts, abrasions and attacks from pests; including: insects and fungi.

6 – That wounds on bonsai trees do not heal in the same manner as the wounds of humans and/or animals? That is to say, trees are not able to repair damaged tissue; instead they continue to manufacture a new layer of cells with each years growth, until the wounds is entirely covered over.

7 – That if you look at a cross-section of a tree trunk you will see rings and each of these rings indicates a full years worth of life and growth? Scientists can tell by the thickness or thinness of a ring in which year more rain and more subsequent growth took place.

8 – That mature trees, both bonsai and those on the front lawn, develop what is known as a ‘collar’ around the base of the largest branches? This swelling takes years to develop and is caused by the up and down, forward and backward, motion of the largest and heaviest branches as they are pushed to and fro by the whims of Mother Nature.

9 – That autumn is the most favorable season of the year to prune a majority of deciduous bonsai? There are at least two good reason for this: first, the fact that all of the leaves have dropped off of your bonsai is a good sign that it has entered dormancy and, therefore, will not ‘bleed’ or lose sap when it is pruned (although it is still advisable to apply ‘cut-paste’ or ‘wound sealant’ to all sizable cuts); and second, now that the bonsai is bare you can see and reach undesirable and/or dead branches that had been covered and made unnoticeable and/or inaccessible by the trees seasonal foliage.

10 – That bonsai trees, as well as, other trees and plants, are capable of absorbing synthetic nutrients through their foliage – oftentimes more readily then through their roots? When foliar feeding, be sure to carefully follow all of the manufacturers’ instructions and never foliar feed in direct sunlight, as leaves can burn quickly.

From card making to furniture restoration, glitter is perfect for any number of crafts… Scrapbookers adore glitter for its ability to make anything pop out. And children everywhere light up whenever glitter is involved. Really, nearly any craft, from floral projects to candle making, can take a layer of glitter. Its sparkle and shine makes glitter is a blessing to any crafter. However, like any material, successful glitter crafting requires a bit of know-how. This article covers what you need to know about craft glitter. It describes the different types of loose glitter. Application tips, including which glues to use, are also included. Read on to get your glitter on.

Types of Glitter
All glitters are not created equal. The first distinction is the material: glitter is generally made from plastic or metal, or a combination of the two, such as a polyester glitter with a metal core. There are exceptions to the plastic-or-glass rule; for instance, Martha Stewart is known to use vintage glass glitter, which is very pricey but adds an old-fashioned touch. In general, plastic glitters are chunkier, and provide more texture, while metal glitters provide more sheen.

Another important characteristic to keep in mind is the size of the glitter particles. Larger particles create a rougher surface.

Micro-fine glitter is best for body application including nail polish. It’s also wonderful for adding a subtle shine that preserves the underlying color. Micro-fine particles reflect less light but give a more consistent appearance.

Fine glitter is twice the size of micro-fine glitter. Because it’s a bit larger, this glitter can turn out smooth or textured depending on how you use it. Both micro-fine and fine glitter look a bit like fairy dust. Paper projects, canvas art, and fabric collages are excellent applications for micro-fine and fine glitter.

Regular craft glitter is what kindergarten classes use. Generally made of plastic, low-grade craft glitter creates a rougher looking surface with more reflection and less color intensity. This kind of glitter is perfect for kids’ projects. Sometimes this is also referred to as “chunky” glitter.

Large glitter is very choppy and quite reflective. As it looks like sequins or confetti, people use large glitter when they’re looking to highlight the particles themselves.

Glitter Application Tips
Many people use a spoon to sprinkle glitter over whatever craft project they hope to cover. While this method works, it’s much easier to buy or create a glitter applicator. To make one yourself, buy a plastic bottle with a very thin, tapering top. To provide a clearer image, these are the types of bottles used to apply hair dye. Leave a little air in the bottle; don’t fill it up all the way. This way, you can use the air to push the glitter out at the rate you choose. You can cut the size of the bottle’s opening if you like; the larger the “mouth” of the applicator, the more glitter that will come out.

Glues for Glitter
Any water-soluble glue will work when applying glitter. You can water it down, mix in the glitter and paint or spray it onto your surface. Craft stores often sell spray-on glue, which is very easy to apply. There are also special glues for applying glitter to cloth. However, keep in mind that different glues dry differently. For this reason, whenever you’re using a new glue, you should test it first. This will show you whether the glue will dry to the color and hardness you want. My favorite glitter application product is Judikins Diamond Glaze, which dries completely clear and provides a durable, hard surface.

To create a protective layer for your craft, so that the glitter doesn’t flake off later, add another layer of protective glue. Diamond Glaze works especially well for this purpose. Some people even use furniture lacquer to finish their products. Verathane is a good lacquer brand for protecting glitter because it dries clear and doesn’t turn yellow.

Just like crows, people are attracted to shiny objects. Everyone loves glitter because it is shiny; that’s why people love crafts with glitter. And because glitter makes everything brighter and more colorful, it is a mood-lifter. So, the next time life has you in the dumps, grab some craft glitter and get creative.

As is known to all, the Nordic has created pine furniture, which was recorded in the cultural annals of the furniture. Because of the plain and lifelike texture, pure and bright color, it is better to decorate home with pine furniture with the simple, elegant and pristine atmosphere. As a result, the pine furniture is considered as the environmentally friendly furniture by The United Nations culture department.

If you are planning to buy furniture, have you consider buying the pine furniture? however, before making the purchasing decision, it is better to know advantages and disadvantages of pine furniture, which is introduced in the following article.

Advantages of pine furniture

Firstly, cheap price. Maybe the pine furniture is the cheapest one among all the solid wood furniture. Nowadays, you will find too many pine furniture which are made from pinus sylvestris because of the low cost. At the same time, most of pines such as New Zealand pine are top quality because of the small scar, good color, good toughness and texture. By the way, the color of pinus sylvestris is easy to be changed, from blue-green at the beginning to the blue-black and final black color.

Secondly, environment friendly furniture. As is known to all, the pine furniture have the natural color and lustre, whats more, you can clearly see the beautiful texture on the surface of pine furniture. Meanwhile, lots of fine manufacturing processes are fully reflected from such modern pine furniture. When buying pure pine furniture for home decoration, lots of people want to relieve the intense work of modern city life and return to the nature.

Thirdly, good practical function. In general, pine furniture have the good elasticity and air permeability. The content of formaldehyde is very low so that it is safe to be placed at home. As usual, too many children furniture including some famous brand children furniture brands are made from pine because they are durable and it is easy to maintain.

Finally, I will discuss the disadvantages of pine furniture.

Firstly, it is easy to crack because of the soft wood character. Remember that not to place too heavy things on pine furniture.

Secondly, it is necessary to pay more attention to maintain the pine furniture, otherwise it is easy to change color. Pine furniture always have the natural color and the color changing would affect the beautiful appearance.

Thirdly, the color of pine furniture is easy to be changed because paint film is always too thick because of too many times painting.

What exactly is it that makes landscaping around a hot tub so different from normal landscaping? The hot tub may be elevated. Of course you can just add a bed of mulch, but your hot tub area will look as cheap as the landscaping cost.
Landscaping designs around your hot tub area don’t have to be elaborate. They can be quite simple and still look very nice. Planters and pots filled with flowers and greenery create a nice look. Add a few shrubs and flowers that you like to add color to the surrounding. A large pot on each side of the hot tub steps with a small tree in each one will give your hot tub a welcoming and lovely look.
When it comes to the area around your hot tub, it’s important to have landscaping ideas for privacy. One way to landscape around your hot tub, with privacy in mind, is a screened in gazebo. A gazebo will help to make the hot tub the focal point of your backyard, while allowing you to comfortably use your hot tub in rainy weather. To make it look nice, you can add a couple of simple planter boxes around the outside of the gazebo. If you’re not a gardener, you could choose to plant some low maintenance silk flowers instead.
It would be virtually impossible to enumerate all the possible ideas for landscaping around hot tubs. Let us concentrate here on an Asian themed hot tub that would be a wonderful addition to a yard. A walkway with plants lightly draped over it offers a combination of shade and sunshine and provides an Asian atmosphere as well. You can also rim the tub with cedar planters filled with trees and other plantings appropriate for the weather in your area. That will give your hot tub the sense of permanence one gets with in-ground tubs.
The ultimate landscaped hot tub would be an in ground hot tub next to an in ground swimming pool. A nice compliment to the beauty of the hot tub and pool would be with a little tropical jungle. Again just take some attractive flowerpots and place them in two clusters of 3 because odd numbers always look better. If you use three different sizes for each cluster this will create a terraced look. Using hibiscus flowers, a small palm bush that won’t grow too large and some ivy that will naturally flow down the pots creating a tropical area.
With all of the ideas for landscaping around hot tubs that are out there, I can only touch upon some of the many possibilities. However, while you landscape, remember that you must allow the hot tub a path to drain when emptied. Otherwise all of your beautiful landscaping efforts could get flooded while the hot tub refills. Get creative and express yourself as you design your very own backyard oasis.